This invention relates generally to the field of closet storage and more specifically to a mechanical closet arm.
Many different solutions have been tried for the problem of hanging clothes in a closet in an way which will both save space, allow easy access, and which will also be accessible to the handicapped.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,433,275 (Feb. 13, 1946, Higby) is a clothes closet hanger that uses a simple brace and manually moves up and down. It does not have the arm assembly or a motorized component which are important distinguishing features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,309 (Sep. 5, 1978, Henry) is an adjustable garment assembly using a hook and frame system which is not based on a movable arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,242 (Feb. 24, 1981, Tudor) describes a clothing rack which swings in a horizontal plane rather than vertically as the subject invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,928 (Dec. 4, 1984, Staashelm) discloses an article storage rack using a forwardly slideable box for articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,926 (Aug. 2, 1988, Iuni) is a light bulb organizer primarily for light bulbs and uses an accordion hinge arrangement to move a holder up and down rather than using a rotating arm which moves vertically.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,172 (Dec. 12, 1989, Kummerlen) describes a clothes hanging stand which uses a leg to support the arm in a horizontal position. The subject invention is supported by an opposing arm inside the opposite side of the cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,896 (Jul. 16, 1996, Morgan) is a hanging apparatus for trousers which uses rods and spacers to support a number of horizontally swinging rods whereas the subject invention also swings vertically.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,501 (Oct. 1, 1996, Rupert) discloses an articulatable storage organizer which has articulated arms anchored at the base to bring shelves or a clothing bar out upon demand. In the subject invention herein disclosed, the pole arm is anchored on the sides, and a scissors arrangement is not used. Instead the entire arm rotates on a motorized mounting on the inside of the closed panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,782 (Jun. 2, 1998, Rupert) describes an articulatable storage organizer which is similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,501, but has a bottom shelf unlike the current application.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,618 (May 23, 2000, Stetler) is a closet organizing system which uses telescoping poles and ceiling brackets.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,398-B1 (Mar. 6, 2001, Lowe) is a hanger apparatus and method primarily for use on a door.
None of the relevant art has the distinguishing features of the subject invention which include a novel mechanical mechanism to raise and lower the bar. Also it has an arm which allows one to keep the clothes on the bar as it is swiveled out. In addition, it has a novel way of anchoring the bar to the sides of the closet and then moving the closet bar out.